A Fireside Chat
by HopelesslyIndecisive
Summary: Short oneshot. A conversation between Harry and Neville the night before the final battle. Written pre HBP


Disclaimer: JKR owns all, I'm just borrowing her characters for a bit.

It was the day before they would finally graduate from Hogwarts. The 7th years in the Gryffindor common room were eagerly awaiting the next day. One by one students started to drift of to their dormitories, until only one was left, sitting in his favorite chair by the fire.

Harry Potter had celebrated with his fellow classmates that night, never letting on to what he felt inside. Hermione and Ron had noticed something was up, but both figured it was just fear of leaving Hogwarts for the last time. As Harry sat in his chair he let out a long sigh. _Is this right? Will tomorrow really hold the final battle?_ Down in the pit of his stomach Harry could feel that tomorrow would hold the final struggle between himself and Voldemort. Everything would be decided in just a few short hours. He thought he should feel more scared, but there was this sense of calm in him. Like he was ready for it all to finally be over.

"Hiya Harry" said a familiar voice. Neville Longbottom came and sat in the chair across from Harry.

"I thought everyone had gone to bed" was Harry's reply.

"If I'm bothering you I can leave" Neville said simply, without any anger in his voice. With that he started to get up.

"No, stay. I want to talk to you for a bit." Neville relaxed back into the chair. "What's on your mind Harry?"

"Neville, what do you see when the Dementors get close to you?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Its just, I don't know if you know this, but whenever they come near I can hear my parents final moments, I can see the green light hit my head. That's why I would faint before I learned how to do the patronus. I was wondering if you heard what happened to your parents when the Dementors are close to you. Did you think I was weak, fainting like that third year?" Harry looked at Neville with an honest gaze.

"Well, actually"

"No, don't answer that, I'm sorry it was a rude question." Harry fidgeted in his seat and nervously ran his hand through his hair.

"Harry," Neville looked at him, his eyes full of compassion, "I don't mind you asking me that question. I do hear them screaming, when the Dementors get near. But it's always really faint, nothing close to what you have to hear I'm sure. I don't think you're weak. You're the bravest person I know."

"You know what the hardest part of learning how to cast the patronus was for me? It wasn't the incantation, or the wand movement, or even trying to get a happy enough memory for it. It was finding the will power to do it. A part of me wanted to hear their voices, even if it was horrible. I didn't want to let my only chance to hear them go."

Both boys stared into the fire for a couple of minutes.

"Tomorrow is when its going to happen isn't it? I've had a weird feeling all day." Harry looked at him for a good long time.

"I'm happy, for your sake, that he chose me not you." Harry stated after a while.

"You're happy who chose you?"

"That prophecy Voldemort wanted, that we saw in the Department of Mysteries, it wasn't lost when you broke it."

"What? Ho" Harry put his hand up to stop Neville from going any further.

"Dumbledore heard the prophecy when it was first told. When we got back from the Department of Mysteries he told it to me. 'The One with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not…And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…'" there was no need for Harry to explain what it meant. "It could have easily been you, you see. But he chose me. And for you, I am able to accept the fate that lies with the prophecy."

"A part of me always knew you were meant to take him down, I think everyone feels it, even if they don't know it. I want to be there with you tomorrow, even if I'm not the chosen one, the-boy-who-lived, I can still fight." Neville expected Harry to object, but instead,

"Alright" he said simply. "I know there is no point in trying to stop you, no one ever listens to me on that front anyway." Harry laughed slightly and shook his head. "Do me a favor, don't let on too much okay, I'm going to try to get through tomorrow without worrying anyone."

"Okay." Neville looked at the clock, 3am. "We should get to bed, big day tomorrow."

"Yeah, graduation. Wouldn't want to miss that would we?"

Neville got up and made his way towards the dormitory, as he started up the stairs he turned back and asked, "You comin' Harry?"

"In a bit."

"Alright, well goodnight then." And Neville started back up the staircase.

"Hey Neville," Harry called up.

"Hmm?"

"You're still worth twelve of Draco Malfoy." Neville smiled and finished his way up the stairs. Harry was sure he heard a "you too" right before the door clicked shut.

Harry looked into the fire for several more minutes before going up to bed too. "Don't want to wake up late for graduation do I?" He said to himself. And as he went up to his dormitory for the last time he realized that he wasn't just pretending for everyone else, but for himself as well.

Authors Note: Thanks to everyone for reading my story. Bear in mind that this was written before HBP came out, but it seemed like a waste to have finally written something and note post it. This was my first story and I didn't want it to lay discarded and unread on my computer. Please R&R.


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